It's been a long day, so we hope you'll forgive us for staring out the window and getting lost in the view. For many years, studies have proven that natural light can give us a significant psychological and physical boost, but recent papers are kicking it up a notch, with evidence that views can be equally important.

From Psychology Today: Research shows that pausing to view scenes of nature actually helps us to refocus our attention, and people who sit near windows are healthier, happier, more tolerant, and more enthusiastic toward work. One study found that prisoners whose cells offered views of nature were sick 24 percent less frequently than others.

There's nothing that works like the real thing, but if you're lacking a view, you can try full-spectrum lighting, hanging artwork, and sunlight substitutes to improve your space.